MEET MARY STONE, ACES Professional Learning Specialist!

Mary joins the ACES team with a variety of experiences in early childhood and special education.

After receiving her Masters in Educational Leadership and her 6th Year degree, Mary served for five years as the grant manager for the Discovery Early Childhood initiative through the Graustein Memorial Fund for the community of West Hartford. She was committed to educating community providers, elected officials, families and social service providers about the importance of quality early childhood education. Shortly thereafter, West Hartford Public Schools opened three public preschool options. Mary moved into the newly-created position of Early Childhood Curriculum Specialist in order to support the public preschool programs with NAEYC accreditation, School Readiness grant requirements, curriculum development and professional learning. In addition, she provided curriculum support to the district’s ELA and math departments, and worked with elementary staff on the Kindergarten transition process. Mary then pursued an opportunity to join the early childhood team at the UCONN Center on Developmental

Disabilities in Farmington, where she provided coaching under the Pyramid Social Emotional framework to public school special education preschool classrooms, and facilitated workshops and communities of practice for public and community based early childhood professionals. Mary is excited to meet and begin working with educators and programs in the ACES region!